The Difference Between Pine & Fir Lumber

Pine has more character than fir.

Pine and fir are two softwood species harvested in the Northern Hemisphere. They are both widely used in the building industry to provide lumber and plywood for homes and framed structures as well as to provide wood for cabinets and woodworking projects. They look similar, but have different properties that differentiate them from one another.

Grain and Stability

Wood grain denotes stability. If grain lines are straight and close together, wood is strong and stable. Fir has tight, close grain lines. Pine has broad grain lines that wander, making it far weaker than fir. The soft wood between the grain lines shrinks and expands, making the wood cup or twist. Fir has little soft grain. Pine has much more soft grain. For stability and strength, fir is much less prone to warping or twisting, and much stronger than pine.

Furniture

From an aesthetic point of view, pine has far more character than fir. Pine has more knots and differing colors ranging from brown to amber to white. Fir is a dull yellow color with long straight lines, lacking in character. Woodworkers prefer knotty pine for making tables, chests or any other project because pine has the beauty that fir lacks. Even though fir is stronger, pine has the looks that make it a favorite for furniture building.

Weathering

Fir offers stability when used for decking or other exterior applications. Even though fir will shrink and expand as it absorbs moisture, it always returns to the same shape. This is a prized quality for builders, and fir is so reliable that it is even shipped, cut and installed on homes while it is still green. When the fir stabilizes, it will take on the shape of wherever it is installed. Pine, under the same circumstances, will take on moisture, swell and warp completely out of its original shape.

Cost

Cost is the overriding factor when differentiating between pine and fir. In applications where either wood can be used, such as exteriors, interior trim or even decking, pine will save thousands of dollars over fir. It should also be noted that fir is made into plywood far more often than pine. Fir plywood is used in the construction of most homes. Pine plywood is actually a rarity and typically used only in the production of knotty pine furniture.

About the Author

Specializing in hardwood furniture, trim carpentry, cabinets, home improvement and architectural millwork, Wade Shaddy has worked in homebuilding since 1972. Shaddy has also worked as a newspaper reporter and writer, and as a contributing writer for Bicycling Magazine. Shaddy began publishing in various magazines in 1992, and published a novel, “Dark Canyon,” in 2008.